Rowing-gear



(ModeL) R. B. REYNOLDS. ROWING GEAR- Patented Nov. 28, 18 93.

ATTORNEY ROBERT E. REYNOLDS, OF STOOKPORT, NEW YORK.

ROWING-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 509,605, dated November 28, 1893.

Application filed June 29, 1892- Serial No. 438.408. (ModeL) To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stockport, Columbia county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rowing-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of apparatus whereby with row-locks or thole-pins holding the oars substantially as they are commonly held but movable lengthwise along the boat, and with the common oars, the rower may while working the cars in the usual manner and with equal effect face ahead instead of astern, and thus have the advantage of seeing his wayand of steering the boat better all as hereinafter fully described reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1, is a perspective view of a row boat provided with apparatus of my invention in the hands of the oarsman facing ahead. Fig. 2, is a detail of row lock apparatus of my invention in side elevation on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3, is a perspective View of the said apparatus in a modified form with oars and a part of the bottom of a boat. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of part of a boat with the row lock apparatus as it may be arranged for oars to be worked with both hands. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of a row lock detached.

The essential principle of the invention consists of the row looks as a a, or b, or of Whatever form or construction they may be, or thole-pins supporting the oars at or near gunwales and adapted to carry the oars 0, so that they may vibrate vertically for dipping in and rising out of the water, and also roll for feathering when required, and being mounted on arms or levers d or e, pivoted inward of their positions, so that they swing forward and backward and carry the oars which do not vibrate horizontally in the row looks but swing in unison with the said arms or levers and thus enable the oarsman facing ahead to propel the boat forward by working the oars same as the oars of the common arrangement are worked when facing astern. The end of the oarin the water is the fulcrum, the power applied by the hands of the oarsman intermediately of the fulcrum and the pivot of the lever arms carrying the oars reacts through the body of the oarsman on the pivot with greater leverage than that of the hands, and thus impels the boat forward.

The row locks may consist of the ordinary yokes as a, and be fitted by a shank f, of square or other angular form in a vertical hole or eye of corresponding form in the supporting end of the lever, or they may consist of a longer yoke as b, rigidly connected to the end of the lever or any like or equivalent device, in which it will be seen that the oars may be suitably vibrated vertically for dipping in and rising out of the water, and may roll or rock for feathering but in case feathering is not desired the oars may be fitted on a pivot pin g as in Fig. 5.

The detachable row look as a or a, may have a vertical hole through its shank as indicated by the dotted lines h Fig. 5, so that it may be applied to a thole pin for rowing backward if desired.

The row lock arms or levers d, will preferably be pivoted at or near the center of the bottom of the boat as at z", orj, or in any ap proved way, particularly when pairs of oars are used, said arms .or levers being suitably bent downward for the purpose, and they may be pivoted in the same locality for single oars, but in such case they may be extended across and' up to and be pivoted on the gunwale of the opposite side as lever e in Fig. 4; the lovers may also be extensible as indicated at 79, Fig. 2, to adapt them for boats of different widths.

It will be seen that oars thus mounted may be readily swung around into the boat either forward or backward without lifting them out of the row look for taking them inboard.

I claim In 'a rowing apparatus, the combination with the oar, of a row lock adapted to carry the oar, and a lever or arm carrying the row lock, said lever or arm being pivoted inward of the handle of the oar so that the fore and aft movement of the oar will be in unison with the row look and lever, and so that the oar will be permitted to have vertical vibration, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name, in prespggt; of two witnesses, this 13th day of April,

ROBERT B. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

ALEX. D. LATHROP, C. E. BEEBE. 

